Feeling young again

In 1953, I graduated from high school and needed a car to drive back and forth to college in Portland, Ore. Portland had a couple of “used car rows” then. One was on 82nd Ave. on the east side of town. I drove out in the family car looking for something I could afford. In the back row of this lot near SE Stark St. was a nice-looking 1941 Ford Super Deluxe Tudor. It was black, with all the neat stainless trim. The price was reasonable for the time: $125.

The lot man said it was a one-owner car. The owner went to Korea and never returned ‘ a sad story; whether it was true or not, I never knew. The car was totally stock. Once I got it home, I started to make it my own. First were long shackles to bring the front end down, then a set of duals and some Port-A-Wall-style whitewalls.

I drove it for several years. Then, in a stupid move, I traded it for a 1952 Ford Victoria. In 2006, I retired and went looking for another 1941 Ford to enjoy cruising to the local car events.

Thanks to the Internet, I was able to find a duplicate of my old car in Ohio. The price was a lot more than the first time I purchased one, but it was a good deal, and I won the bid. Getting the car to my home in Maple Valley, Wash., was a little problematic, but once it arrived, it seemed to be in good shape.

It has been restored to better than the original one I owned in 1954. A later-model flathead was installed, and the interior has been replaced. It needs a few minor things done, which will give me something to do in retirement. It is black like my old one, and it is a Super Deluxe with all the stainless trim.

There is an old saying that, “You cannot recapture your youth.” That may be true, but owning an old car like the one you had as a young man sure helps.